Top 10 Tech Innovations You Can’t Live Without

It’s amazing to think about how quickly technology has evolved in my lifetime. It seems like it only takes a few short years for new technology to be introduced, adopted and make a huge impact on all of our lives.

This idea led me to wonder, which are the tech innovations that are most integral to our daily routines? What technology can we simply not live without in 2017?

These are the 10 that I came up with, but let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments below!

iPod

I may be dating myself here, but the iPod completely changed the way I listen to music. Free from low-quality tapes or an enormous binder full of CDs, the iPod made it possible to carry a comparatively huge music library and listen to whatever I wanted to at any time. Although now my music is either on my phone or in the cloud, the switch from physical media to digital storage was life-changing.

Digital Cameras

The way we take and share pictures of ourselves and our lives completely changed with the transition from analog to digital cameras. Now, we can take dozens of photos and delete the ones we don’t like in a quest for the perfect snap. We can instantly share photos with people across the world. Our experience of ourselves and others is totally different because of these digital pixels.

The Internet

This one is an obvious choice (some of you are thinking, “duh”). Our lives would look completely different without the readily available connection to the web. It’s changed the way we shop, the way we watch entertainment, the way we interact with our friends and family – the Internet is probably the most impactful tech innovation of the past century.

GPS

GPS systems have been around since the 1970s, but it took a few decades for the technology to trickle down into the lives of the average consumer. But for the past 15 years or so, GPS technology has been incorporated into everything from cell phones to gaming systems. GPS has changed the way we drive and made many of us unable to even navigate our hometowns without an electronic voice guiding us to our intended location.

DVR

Of all the tech innovations on this list, the ability to record TV and watch it whenever I want might be my favorite. It used to be that if you weren’t home at the right time, you’d miss out on your show and have to wait until the summer reruns to see it. If you missed a joke or interesting news segment, you couldn’t rewind and catch up. Now, we can all be in the know at our own pace.

High-Tech Mattresses

I might be showing my bias here, but I’ve been blown away by recent technological innovations made by our partners Serta and Beautyrest. They have been at the forefront of mattress and sleep technology for years, and some of their most recent tech-focused mattresses are going to change the way people sleep.

Bluetooth

Bluetooth technology wirelessly connects everything from our phones to our refrigerators to our sound systems to our cars. The fact that I can ask my phone for directions and it will connect to my car to give me the answer is a luxury I don’t want to take for granted.

Social Media

Social media is everywhere, and its impact can be felt in how we interact with our friends, families, co-workers and people we don’t know, like celebrities, news-makers and even brands. Imagine how different life would be without being connected to the world through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Video Conferencing

This may seem like no big deal, but the ability to see and interact with people through video was a huge innovation for businesses, especially national companies like Mattress Firm. Our team members are an important part of our company culture, so being able to shrink the distance is especially meaningful for us.

iPhone

I put this at the end because it sums up most of the other technology on this list – built-in GPS, digital camera, always connected to the internet, music, video chat, social media, etc. The iPhone was the first smartphone to make the latest in mobile tech available to the average consumer with a sleek, user-friendly device. Now, iPhones are our navigation systems, entertainment players, social media hubs, and yes, sometimes we even still make phone calls on them. This innovation plays a huge role in our day-to-day lives.

And that’s my top 10, in no particular order. What do you think? Is there a piece of technology on this list that you think you could live without?

About The Author

Ken Murphy With more than 15 years of experience with Mattress Firm, Ken Murphy has worn many hats, all of which (were Mattress Firm red, of course) prepared him to step into the role of president and CEO, and perhaps most importantly, his role as a contributor to The Daily Doze. Here on the blog, he shares his thoughts on the importance of a good sleep environment, the impact of a good night’s sleep on your career, and the importance of sleep for his family.
At Mattress Firm, Ken keeps his finger on the pulse of the company as he oversees sales, field operations, marketing communications, digital strategy, learning and development, and talent management. His passion and gusto – widely known and recognized around the Mattress Firm offices – are the drivers behind his dedication to live out the Mattress Firm mission to improve lives one relationship at a time. In 2011, Ken was awarded Mattress Firm’s distinguished Spirit of Life award for his commitment to living out Mattress Firm’s mission and values in his day-to-day life.
Ken holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Management from Stephen F. Austin State University. He lives in Houston with his wife, Susan, and is a proud father of five children.
Best Night’s Sleep: As an aficionado of alliteration, Ken’s sleep time routine includes thinking up mattress-related tongue twisters like “Matt’s magnificent mattress makes mornings marvelous,” until he drifts off to a peaceful night’s sleep.